PIA office attack: Hindu Sena chief arrested

New Delhi, Jan 15: Hindu Sena chief Vishnu Gupta was arrested today by Delhi Police in connection with the vandalism of Pakistan International Airlines office here by the members of the outfit.

Gupta has been arrested under Sections 120B (being party to a criminal conspiracy), 147 (rioting), 149 (being the member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 427 (mischief causing damage to property)and 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint) of IPC, said police.

"The police are still looking for the other Hindu Sena members who were involved in the vandalism," DCP (New Delhi) Jatin Narwal said. Yesterday, four members of Hindu Sena, a fringe right-wing group, ransacked the fifth floor office of Pakistan International Airlines at Narayan Manzil in Barakhamba Road around 3:15 PM, damaging computers, furniture and other items.

Police later arrested one member of the group, who was identified as Lalit Singh, while three others fled. The members also left pamphlets which said,"There should be no talks with Pakistan unless they take stern action against people who have caused damage to India and hand over people like Dawood Ibrahim and Hafiz Saeed to India."

The incident prompted Islamabad to take up the issue with the Ministry of External Affairs. Owning responsibility of the incident, Gupta had vented anger at Pakistan holding it responsible for the attacks at Pathankot air base as well as at the Indian consulate in the Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif recently.

Gupta was also arrested last October, days after his complaint that "beef" was being served at Kerala House canteen here was found to be false.